Know the Health Benefits of Cereals

Learn about the health benefits of Cereals. Since the beginning of agriculture, grains have provided limitless health benefits as a staple in our diet. Cereals are rich in complex carbohydrates that give you lots of energy and help prevent cancer, constipation, colon disorders, and high blood sugar levels. They also enrich your overall health with abundant proteins, fats, lipids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. The minerals are enriched with niacin, iron, riboflavin, and thiamin, and most cereals have abundant fiber content, especially barley, oats, and wheat. The cereals also have soluble bran which helps lower blood cholesterol levels and keep heart disease at bay. The consumption of cereals also means an intake of large amounts of protein; breakfast cereals are often eaten with milk, making for a high-protein meal. For babies, iron-fortified cereals are said to be the premium solid foods.

What are Cereals?
Cereals or grains belong to the monocot families 'Poaceae or Gramineae' and are widely cultivated for the edible components of their fruit seeds. Botanically, these fruits are called 'caryopsis' and are structurally divided into endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grains are grown in large quantities and provide more food energy than any other type of crop, hence they are known as staple crops.

Cereal History
Whether it is world history, the growth of civilizations, or the development in human dietary patterns, the cultivation of cereal grains has played an important role. The word "cereal" is derived from "Ceres", the name of the Roman goddess of agriculture and harvest. Nearly 12,000 years ago, ancient farming communities living in the Fertile Crescent area of ​​Southwest Asia are said to have cultivated the first cereal grains. The earliest Neolithic founder crops that really started the development of agriculture include einkorn wheat, emmer wheat, and barley.

Cereal Production
In addition to their superior nutritional value, cereals are popularly used in cuisines around the world due to their prolific growth and abundant production in most countries. Different countries have different cereals as a staple food; the reason for this diversity is production statistics. For example, wheat is the most important cereal in the diets of most European countries and India. On the other hand, rice is the primary grain used in China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Brazil, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the US.

The staple cereal in North, Central America, and Africa is maize or maize, while millet and sorghum are widely consumed in India and Africa as well. Many factors such as climatic differences, population choice, production quality and other factors are responsible for such global differences in cereal consumption in tropical and subtropical regions. Cereals are also known as the "staff of life." However, this name is not fully justified in a true sense because you probably cannot live on grains alone for your entire life and maintain optimal health.

What is a Breakfast Cereal?
Breakfast cereal is actually the breakfast food package available in almost every commercial food store. These types of cereals are sometimes eaten cold or mixed with milk or water and then fruit is added for extra nutrition and flavor. Cornflakes, porridge and oatmeal are the best examples of breakfast cereals. These cereals are usually soaked or boiled to obtain a soft structure, which makes them palatable. Sweeteners such as honey, sugar, or maple syrup are then added for a better flavor. Breakfast cereals have become immensely popular in fast-moving countries as they provide a container full of nutrients in a short and simple way.

Types of Cereals
The most familiar grains used to make the cereal category include rice, corn, maize, ragi, bajra, wheat, barley, sorghum, Italian millet, and oats. Here we see some of the most used cereal varieties.

Rice: Rice is probably the most common and popular cereal consumed around the world; especially in tropical and temperate regions. Rice cannot grow in cold regions. It is used as the staple food in most countries and restaurants around the world prepare rice recipes that make lips very palatable. read more

brown rice: Brown rice is another variety of rice that is rich in the vitamin B group, particularly thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and minerals such as iron, potassium, phosphorous, and magnesium.

Corn: it is the staple cereal in continents such as Africa and South America and is used as animal feed throughout the world. “Cornflakes” as we know them are nothing more than the flaked form of corn. Popcorn is also a popular corn product, which has become a favorite snack for all ages around the world. read more

Wheat: this is a main cereal consumed in temperate zones, especially in Australia, North America, Europe and New Zealand. Wheat is a main ingredient in foods such as bread, cookies, cakes, porridge, pastries, crackers, pancakes, muesli, cakes, biscuits, rolls, muffins, doughnuts, gravy, and some breakfast cereals. New research suggests that eating white bread may benefit your health by encouraging the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Wheat is grown in different forms throughout the world. Some wild species of wheat are now domesticated and widely cultivated in specific agricultural areas. Some of these species include 'Spelled', 'Einkorn' (wheat species with a single grain), 'Emmer' and 'Durum' (wheat species used to make grits). read more

Barley: this cereal is popular and highly nutritious. It is usually grown for malting; Cattle also thrive on land that is unable to grow wheat due to financial or climatic conditions. read more

Sorghum: it is widely consumed in Africa and Asia and is also considered a good feed for livestock.

Mijo: It is widely cultivated in Africa and Asia. Millet porridge is extremely popular in China, Germany, and Russia. It is also used in alcoholic beverages and sometimes as food for birds and animals.

Avena: Oats were initially a staple cereal in Scotland, however oats are now very popular as a breakfast cereal in almost every country. Due to the rich fiber property, oats are considered vital for all ages and used as livestock feed.

Centeno: It is an important cereal grown in cold climates. It is used to make bread, beer, whiskey, vodka, and also as animal fodder.

Triticale: these are manually grown crops that are crosses of wheat and rye. Initially, these crops were only harvested in Sweden and Scotland alone, but the FAO recently stated that in 2009, triticale was harvested in almost 29 countries worldwide.

Funio: It is a popular crop grown in West Africa and some remote areas of India. It grows easily in semi-arid regions with poor quality soils and in a short period of only six to eight weeks. Fonio is used in bread, porridge, and beer.

Buckwheat: This cereal is popularly used in pancakes, noodles, and porridge. It is popularly used as a wheat cereal, but its characteristics are not related to wheat. This cereal is rich in protein and amino acids.

Quinoa: This cereal is rich in dietary fiber, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. It is grown mainly in the Andes; however, it is also popular in North America.

Other types: maize, rice and wheat together account for 87% of the total cereal production worldwide. There are many more cereals that are used in specific regions and they are not as popular as those mentioned above. 'Teff' is one such cereal, widely grown in Ethiopia but hardly known elsewhere. It is rich in fiber and protein. It is often used as a staple food, or is sometimes used as a breakfast cereal. "Wild rice" is sparingly cultivated in North America; 'Amaranto' was initially a staple crop of the Aztec Empire and is now widely cultivated in Africa.

Cereals: Composition And Nutritional Information
Belonging to the group of foods with complex carbohydrates, cereals are rich sources of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, oils, proteins and fats. Whole grains have an outer bran, a starchy endosperm, and a germ.

Saved: The outer layers of the kernel are called bran, which is made up of about 5% of the kernel. The grain is rich in fiber and minerals, while the bran contains high amounts of thiamin and riboflavin.

Aleuron: while refining, the bran layer is removed and the aleurone layer is exposed, which lies just below the bran. This layer is also rich in phosphorus, protein, fat, and thiamin.

Endosperm: Unfortunately, this layer is also lost during processing. When the endosperm is used, this large central part of the kernel has a high percentage of starch and protein, and is low in vitamin or mineral content.

Germ: the small structure at the back of the nucleus is known as the germ. Rich in proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins, this germ is the storehouse of nutrients for the seeds while they germinate.

Cereal Health Benefits
The health benefits of cereals are thoroughly discussed below:

cereal informationEnergy source
Cereals are probably the largest source of energy for humans. Providing almost 30% of total calories in a regular diet, cereals are probably the most consumed caloric food in the United States. This percentage rises in places like rural Africa and Asia, where cereals are reported to supply nearly 70-80% of energy needs (since people in these regions cannot afford to eat other food products such as fruits, vegetables, Inexpensive and a widely available source of energy, this is probably the main reason why people of all budgets prefer grains as the main source of energy in their diet. quite high among low-income families, since they obtain a good amount of energy through minimal expenditure.

high mineral content
In cereals, about 95% of the minerals are sulfates and phosphates of magnesium, potassium and calcium. A good amount of phosphorus, called phytin, is present in cereals. Phytates present in cereals considerably reduce the activity of iron absorption. Unrefined grains have more phytates compared to refined grains. After the seeds germinate, the phytates decrease due to enzyme decomposition, and then the iron content is enhanced. This is the reason why malted cereal flours are said to have more nutritional value than raw flour. Zinc, copper, and manganese are also present in small amounts. Cereals have hardly any calcium and iron, but ragi is an exception to this. Among cereals, rice is the poorest source of iron and calcium. Ragi, millet, jowar and bajra have high amounts of minerals and fiber.

You can apply onion juice to reduce the pain caused by bee stings. Fresh onion juice or paste can be used for external applications on insect bites and scorpion bites. The smell of onions also makes insects flee, so they can be used as insect repellents and as a bite treatment.
Whole wheat products reduce the chances of breast cancer. Cereals are rich in phytosterols, or plant-based steroids, and plant estrogens that stimulate the hormone estrogen. Phytosterols bind to estrogen receptors present in breast tissues and block human estrogen which promotes breast cancer growth. Many studies have shown that colon cancers can be prevented by eating whole wheat products or any fiber-rich cereal. Phytosterols increase the movement of feces through the intestines, which constricts the time it takes for estrogen to be reabsorbed into the blood through the colon wall.

prevent constipation
Cereals have soluble and insoluble fibers such as cellulose, pectin and hemicellulose. These fibers are present in the bran and pericarp, which is often demolished during processing, so it is advisable to consume whole grains to cure extreme constipation problems. Cereals also effectively improve peristalsis in the intestine and increase the volume of stool, thus keeping the internal system clean. Ragi is rich in cellulose and has excellent laxative properties that relieve constipation. Brown rice is also helpful in treating this disorder.

Maintain blood sugar level
The fiber content in cereals slows down the rate of glucose secretion from food, thus maintaining blood sugar levels.

provide protein
Proteins are present in all the tissues of the cereal grain. Protein-rich concentrated areas are the scutellum, embryo, and aleurone layer, and moderate amounts can be found in the endosperm, pericarp, and testa. The protein concentration becomes denser in the endosperm from the center to the edge. Cereal proteins are of different types; such as albumins, prolamins, gliadins, globulins and glutelins. These types of proteins are called “gluten” proteins. This gluten has extraordinary elasticity and mobile properties, mainly present in the wheat grain, but also in some other types of cereals.

Cereals generally have 6-12% protein but lack lysine. The protein content varies in each type of cereal. For example, rice contains less protein compared to other grains. In fact, the percentage of protein even varies with different varieties of the same cereal. Although it is less in quantity, the quality of rice protein is better than protein from other cereals. When you consume cereals with pulses, the quality of the protein automatically improves, due to mutual supplementation. Pulses are high in lysine and deficient in methionine; on the other hand, cereals have an abundance of methionine.

Multimorbidity: Recent research suggests that increased consumption of vegetables, whole grain products, and fruits may reduce the risk of multimorbidity.

Source of vitamins: If you suffer from a vitamin B complex deficiency, add whole grains to your diet. Most of the vitamins in grains are present in the outer bran, but the refining process generally reduces the B vitamin content, so eating whole grains is advisable. Cereals generally lack vitamin A or vitamin C; only corn has small amounts of carotene. Cereal grains are processed to extract oils that are rich in vitamin E. Rice bran oil has more concentrated amounts of vitamin E than other commercially available oils.

Cereal grains are rich in enzymes, particularly proteases, amylases, lipases, and oxidoreductases. After the seed germinates, amylase actively increases. The germ contains protease enzymes.

Sure, grains are packed with nutrition, but unfortunately the refining process degrades their quality. The degree of grinding, polishing and refining to a certain extent decides the nutrient content of the cereals. Some nutrients are lost during food preparation, especially vigorous washing, soaking, and cooking methods, which result in the depletion of nutrients in the skin of the beans.

Side Effects of Cereal Consumption
There are some downsides to grains when it comes to excessive consumption. Most commercial varieties of cereal have an abundance of salt, sugar, and fat that should be avoided in excess. In addition, high-bran products often cause discomfort such as abdominal pain, bloating, and flatulence from intestinal gas. If you have too many of these products, your body's ability to absorb iron, zinc, or other minerals is dramatically decreased.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE: Rosemary Oil for Hair?

Most grains are naturally acidic, so they can produce an acidic state within your tissues and blood. Uncontrolled consumption of cereals can lead to premature aging and increases the chances of certain diseases such as arthritis. Grains are comparatively more difficult to digest than salads, fruits, sprouts or vegetables, so it is always recommended to have grains in moderate amounts to avoid chronic diseases. Even then, it is recommended that the cereal grains be consumed after gentle cooking. Excessive heat destroys minerals, enzymes and vitamins in grains, so in most cases baking or steaming is preferred.

If you have celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome, try to avoid whole grains, as they aggravate these conditions.

Cereals for Children
It is often found that children like cereals as you can make them in many ways and they keep children full for a long time. Grains have proven to be an excellent food for children since ancient times; They provide energy and sufficient nutrition required for healthy growth. If you can feed your child at least one cup of cereal, your child gets almost half of the daily requirement for most vitamins and minerals. Adding milk or yogurt to cereal will further enhance the nutritional content of the meal. However, choosing the right cereal for your child is very important. Take a look at cereals that have high amounts of protein, iron, and fiber. Protein aids in growth during the developing years, iron is very important for healthy blood formation and fiber is necessary for a clean digestive tract. Some good choices for your child at mealtime include millet, barley, buckwheat, rye, oatmeal, and whole wheat.

You can also introduce juicy cereals to your children. As stated before, when you add milk to cereals, they create a complete protein meal. If your child needs calories and protein, stick primarily with a combination of milk and cereal. On the other hand, if your child needs adequate iron absorption, a juice and cereal mix will work just as well.